Canonical – Droid Lifehttps://www.droid-life.com
An intense Android news community bringing you the latest in phones, rooting, apps, and reviews.Sat, 17 Mar 2018 02:11:57 +0000en-UShourly1Ubuntu for Android No Longer in Development According to Canonicalhttps://www.droid-life.com/2014/04/30/ubuntu-for-android-no-longer-in-development-according-to-canonical/
https://www.droid-life.com/2014/04/30/ubuntu-for-android-no-longer-in-development-according-to-canonical/#commentsWed, 30 Apr 2014 22:34:25 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=138985

It has been quite some time since we last discussed Ubuntu for Android, not to be confused with Ubuntu Mobile, and apparently there is good reason as to why there are no more discussions regarding the subject – no one is currently working on it. 2012 was the year in which talks began picking up about … Continued

It has been quite some time since we last discussed Ubuntu for Android, not to be confused with Ubuntu Mobile, and apparently there is good reason as to why there are no more discussions regarding the subject – no one is currently working on it.

2012 was the year in which talks began picking up about Ubuntu and Android being paired, with the idea being that once an Android phone was docked into a monitor, it could essentially turn itself into a PC running Ubuntu. It was an awesome idea, but it appears that the folks at Canonical are done working on it, at least for now.

Canonical states that if they can find themselves an OEM partner, they would be ready to start up development of the platform once again. In a statement given to Android Authority, Canonical is pretty clear that the service is not entirely dead, but in a form of deep hibernation until time comes for it to be awoken.

To take the development further requires a launch partner in order to make the necessary modifications on the Android side. We are currently not in concrete discussions with launch partners, but we are still very much open to such a partnership. We are focused on Ubuntu for Phones at the moment, therefore we are not actively pushing for Ubuntu for Android.However, if a prospective partner steps forward, we are very much open to launching Ubuntu for Android.

While this news may not be a big deal, since Ubuntu for Android hasn’t exactly been in the news for some time, it was quite the requested feature back in the day, with plenty of people hoping to see it come to fruition. It appears that if no partners intend on partnering with Canonical, it may never come.

Canonical today unveiled their latest work on their underdog Ubuntu mobile operating system. If you can remember, it was only October when Canonical announced Ubuntu 13.10 for smartphones, with a fully featured system attempting to rival Android. Today, in a somewhat odd move, the company has announced the availability of a developer preview of a … Continued

Canonical today unveiled their latest work on their underdog Ubuntu mobile operating system. If you can remember, it was only October when Canonical announced Ubuntu 13.10 for smartphones, with a fully featured system attempting to rival Android. Today, in a somewhat odd move, the company has announced the availability of a developer preview of a new dual boot feature allowing supported Nexus devices to switch quickly between an Android-based OS and Ubuntu.

To switch between operating systems, users have to launch an app on whichever side of the dual boot setup they are currently using to execute the OS change. In the past, command line interfaces and various key combinations were needed, making the process not exactly the most efficient or user-friendly.

Keep in mind that this is a developer preview, and as such will be unstable compared to a regular Ubuntu or Android installation. For you crackflashers out there, though, you can find instructions to get the dual boot setup on a Nexus 4 here. To go through the setup, it seems basic knowledge of the command line and a Ubuntu computer are required. You will need an unlocked bootloader, familiarity with adb commands, and the ability to follow a step-by-step guide.

]]>https://www.droid-life.com/2013/12/23/canonical-shows-off-new-dual-boot-feature-for-ubuntu-in-latest-developer-preview/feed/23Canonical Releases Ubuntu 13.10 for Smartphones, Its First “True Mobile” Releasehttps://www.droid-life.com/2013/10/18/canonical-releases-ubuntu-13-10-for-smartphones-its-first-true-mobile-release/
https://www.droid-life.com/2013/10/18/canonical-releases-ubuntu-13-10-for-smartphones-its-first-true-mobile-release/#commentsFri, 18 Oct 2013 17:23:38 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=122544This morning, Canonical announced the availability of Ubuntu 13.10, the first “true mobile release” of the OS. Inside the release, users can finally get a good picture of what the company is bringing to the smartphone game, with a fully-baked UI and core applications that have been developed by a highly experienced community of developers. … Continued

This morning, Canonical announced the availability of Ubuntu 13.10, the first “true mobile release” of the OS. Inside the release, users can finally get a good picture of what the company is bringing to the smartphone game, with a fully-baked UI and core applications that have been developed by a highly experienced community of developers. There still isn’t much third party app support, but you will find the basics like a calendar, camera, phone, clock, and browser application.

Rick Spencer, Ubuntu’s consumer-facing engineering lead, had this to say on the 13.10 release.

This is a milestone in computing history. The exact same Ubuntu OS runs on ARM phones and modern HP Moonshot ARM servers, and provides exactly the same capability as x86 platforms. Ubuntu 13.10 is a full server-grade OS that offers a mobile experience and is lean enough to support mobile devices, kicking off a new era in mobile security and computing convergence.

Ubuntu 13.10 should be flashable on a couple of Android handsets if we aren’t mistaken, so you can follow the via link below if you are interested. Although, this is best left to developers and those that are familiar with tinkering in SDKs and have a working knowledge of adb. Unlike the Ubuntu for Android platform, this is more than just flashing a zip file in a custom recovery.

]]>https://www.droid-life.com/2013/10/18/canonical-releases-ubuntu-13-10-for-smartphones-its-first-true-mobile-release/feed/27Anxious to See the New Ubuntu Edge? Help Crowdfund it Through Indiegogohttps://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/22/anxious-to-see-the-new-ubuntu-edge-help-crowdfund-it-through-indiegogo/
https://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/22/anxious-to-see-the-new-ubuntu-edge-help-crowdfund-it-through-indiegogo/#commentsMon, 22 Jul 2013 18:00:59 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=114758The highly anticipated Ubuntu mobile device that we have seen teased by Canonical has taken to Indiegogo looking for funding. Much like Kickstarter, Indigogo helps people crowdfund projects by taking donations in return for different promises from the developer. In their post, the Ubuntu Edge group lays out the problems of developing a new device … Continued

The highly anticipated Ubuntu mobile device that we have seen teased by Canonical has taken to Indiegogo looking for funding. Much like Kickstarter, Indigogo helps people crowdfund projects by taking donations in return for different promises from the developer. In their post, the Ubuntu Edge group lays out the problems of developing a new device – most importantly, the fact that manufacturers don’t want to take a chance on a new product that they can’t trust will actually sell. So Canonical is coming to you and asking for help. $32 million worth of help.

Canonical doesn’t have a definitive list of specs for the device yet because they are still looking for the best pieces to put together in this device, but they have promised that it will be a 4.5″ device with “the fastest multicore processor” and will feature 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage. The phone will be made from a single piece of machined metal and the screen will be made of sapphire crystal to make sure it won’t crack. And of course it will boot Android as well as Ubuntu’s new gesture-based OS.

This is where Indiegogo comes in. Canonical says they aren’t in the business to start making phones, rather they want to make the “ultimate device, the catalyst for innovation” for mobile phones. They are looking to raise $32 million, the biggest crowdfunding project to-date in only 30 days. $20 is the starting donation level, but for today only if you donate $600, you can get an Edge for yourself. The prices go higher up from there.

Canonical said that if this project goes well they hope to do this annually, bringing together the best pieces of a smartphone and putting them together for the “true enthusiasts.” Are you interested at all in the Ubuntu Edge?

]]>https://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/22/anxious-to-see-the-new-ubuntu-edge-help-crowdfund-it-through-indiegogo/feed/66Verizon Joins Ubuntu Carrier Advisory Group, Could Bring First Ubuntu Phone to the U.S.https://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/11/verizon-joins-ubuntu-carrier-advisory-group-could-bring-first-ubuntu-phone-to-the-u-s/
https://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/11/verizon-joins-ubuntu-carrier-advisory-group-could-bring-first-ubuntu-phone-to-the-u-s/#commentsThu, 11 Jul 2013 18:05:17 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=113908While Canonical has been successful in gaining the attention of European telecoms with their Ubuntu-based smartphones, the company has had a harder time getting U.S. carriers to bite. As of today, that has all changed and we could see an entirely new mobile OS hitting our shores much sooner than previously anticipated. Verizon Wireless, the … Continued

While Canonical has been successful in gaining the attention of European telecoms with their Ubuntu-based smartphones, the company has had a harder time getting U.S. carriers to bite. As of today, that has all changed and we could see an entirely new mobile OS hitting our shores much sooner than previously anticipated. Verizon Wireless, the nation’s largest carrier, recently joined the Ubuntu Carrier Advisory Group (CAG), allowing Canonical the opportunity to “shape Ubuntu into the most compelling new, alternative platform for mobile.”

Samir Vaidya, a member of Verizon’s Device Technology team states, “Verizon Wireless is joining Ubuntu’s CAG to participate in technology discussions around this new platform, which has the ability to bring new and exciting features to developers and ultimately, customers.”

Canonical stated that they would like to have the first Ubuntu-based smartphones in two global markets by this October, with more markets following in 2014.

]]>https://www.droid-life.com/2013/07/11/verizon-joins-ubuntu-carrier-advisory-group-could-bring-first-ubuntu-phone-to-the-u-s/feed/88Ubuntu Touch Developer Previews for Smartphones and Tablets Now Availablehttps://www.droid-life.com/2013/02/21/ubunutu-touch-developer-previews-for-smartphones-and-tablets-now-available/
https://www.droid-life.com/2013/02/21/ubunutu-touch-developer-previews-for-smartphones-and-tablets-now-available/#commentsThu, 21 Feb 2013 16:28:37 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=99470It’s finally Thursday and if you have been paying attention, you would know that means it’s finally Ubuntu Day! This morning, Canonical released the developer previews of Ubuntu Touch that was built to allow developers an early access until the OS’s official release slated for some time early next year. Currently, the OS is only available for … Continued

It’s finally Thursday and if you have been paying attention, you would know that means it’s finally Ubuntu Day! This morning, Canonical released the developer previews of Ubuntu Touch that was built to allow developers an early access until the OS’s official release slated for some time early next year.

Currently, the OS is only available for flashing to the Galaxy Nexus (GSM ‘maguro” variant only), Nexus 4 “mako,” Nexus 7 “grouper,” and Nexus 10 “manta.” If you have any other device than those listed, do not attempt to flash. These builds are intended for developers only and other than it just being a pretty UI, there are hardly any working apps or anything a normal consumer would consider useful. But then again, after flashing, returning to stock Android is very simple.

If you are still interested, they have also listed device specific issues that you may run into after flashing. For example, “In rare circumstances, the Nexus 4 may get into a state where it may not boot at all after the battery is drained ( even into recovery ). If this happens, the only way to restore it is to disassemble the back of the phone and unplug/plug the battery connector.”

]]>https://www.droid-life.com/2013/02/21/ubunutu-touch-developer-previews-for-smartphones-and-tablets-now-available/feed/79Ubuntu Touch Preview For Nexus Tablets Coming This Thursdayhttps://www.droid-life.com/2013/02/19/ubuntu-touch-preview-for-nexus-tablets-coming-this-thursday/
https://www.droid-life.com/2013/02/19/ubuntu-touch-preview-for-nexus-tablets-coming-this-thursday/#commentsTue, 19 Feb 2013 16:10:34 +0000http://www.droid-life.com/?p=99140Following the announcement of developer preview availability, Canonical announced this morning that a tablet-friendly version of Ubuntu will be ready for Nexus tablets starting this Thursday. Developers can load the OS up on either Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 devices, which has a new multitask interface which is previewed in the video below. Well, I … Continued

Following the announcement of developer preview availability, Canonical announced this morning that a tablet-friendly version of Ubuntu will be ready for Nexus tablets starting this Thursday. Developers can load the OS up on either Nexus 7 or Nexus 10 devices, which has a new multitask interface which is previewed in the video below.

Well, I must say I am sort of relieved that this had zero to do with HTC. Developers and tech enthusiasts, are you excited for all of this Ubuntu stuff?